Gas burner and method for controlling the same

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are a gas burner and a method for controlling the same in which stable use is possible and combustion efficiency is improved. The gas burner includes a burner body burned by a mixture gas of gas fuel and air, a gas supplying valve supplying the gas fuel to the burner body through a gas supplying tube connected with the burner body, an air supplying fan supplying the air to the burner body through an air supplying tube connected with the burner body, and a control part controlling air flow supplied to the burner body by controlling revolution per minute (RPM) of the air supplying fan. Since an optimal air-fuel ratio can be maintained by controlling the RPM of the air supplying fan, combustion efficiency can be increased. Since a temperature of a glass can be maintained properly, life span of the gas burner can be increased and its stable use is possible.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2004-081260, filed on Oct. 12, 2004, and Korean Application No. P2004-081261, filed on Oct. 12, 2004, which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gas burner and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly, to a gas burner and a method for controlling the same in which stable use is possible and combustion efficiency is improved.

2. Background of the Related Art

Generally, a gas burner is designed to generate heat for heating, cooking, and the like by burning gas fuel such as LPG and LNG. The gas burner is manufactured in various types depending on its purpose of use.

Hereinafter, a related art gas burner will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a related art gas burner, and FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a temperature of a glass depending on operational time of the gas burner.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the related art gas burner includes a burner body 1 burning a mixture gas of gas fuel and air, a gas supplying valve 2 supplying the gas fuel to the burner body 1, and an air supplying fan 3 supplying the air to the burner body 1.

A glass 7 is provided on the burner body 1. An object to be heated is laid on the glass 7. A mixing tube 4 is provided at one side of the burner body 1 and supplies the mixture gas to the burner body 1.

A gas supplying tube 5 is provided at one side of the gas supplying valve 2 and serves as a path that supplies the gas fuel to the burner body 1. An air supplying tube 6 is provided at one side of the air supplying fan 3 and serves as a path that supplies the air to the burner body 1.

The gas supplying tube 5 and the air supplying tube 6 are connected with the mixing tube 4, and the mixing tube 4 is connected with the burner body 1. Therefore, the air supplied through the air supplying fan 3 is supplied to the mixing tube 4 through the air supplying tube 6. The gas supplied through the gas supplying valve 2 is supplied to the mixing tube 4 through the gas supplying tube 5. Afterwards, the air and the gas supplied to the mixing tube 4 are mixed with each other in the mixing tube 4 and then supplied to the burner body 1.

The mixture gas supplied to the burner body 1 generates heat while being burned. The glass 7 is heated by the generated heat and the object laid on the glass is heated. At this time, if the gas burner is operated at a constant air-fuel ratio, the temperature of the glass increases in proportion to the operational time. As shown in FIG. 2, after the lapse of predetermined time, the relation graph between the operational time and the temperature of the glass has a non-linear curve.

Meanwhile, load given to the air supplying fan during the operation of the related art gas burner is not constant but revolution per minute (RPM) of the air supplying fan is constant regardless of time.

For this reason, the following problems occur.

If the air flow is excessively supplied, flame becomes unstable to fail to normally supply heat. If the air flow of small quantity is supplied, the mixture gas is imperfectly burned to increase the concentration of CO contained in exhaust gas.

Since the related art burner is operated at a constant air-fuel ratio, the glass is overheated because no separate control device is provided if the temperature of the glass increases at a reference value or greater, thereby reducing stability.

In addition, heat loss increases as the temperature of the glass increases at a reference value or greater. As a result, a room temperature increases and the concentration of CO contained in the exhaust gas increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to provide a gas burner and a method for controlling the same that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner and a method for controlling the same in which stable use is possible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner and a method for controlling the same in which combustion efficiency is improved.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a gas burner according to the present invention includes a burner body burning a mixture gas of gas fuel and air, a gas supplying valve supplying the gas fuel to the burner body through a gas supplying tube connected with the burner body, an air supplying fan supplying the air to the burner body through an air supplying tube connected with the burner body, and a control part controlling air flow supplied to the burner body by controlling revolution per minute (RPM) of the air supplying fan.

Preferably, the gas burner further includes at least one of a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of a glass provided on the burner body and a pressure sensor measuring inner pressure of the gas burner.

Preferably, the temperature sensor is provided at the bottom of the glass, and the control part controls the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the temperature of the glass measured by the temperature sensor.

Preferably, the burner body includes a burner chamber in which the mixture gas is burned, a burner mat heated by burning the mixture gas, and a burner housing fixed to the burner chamber while pressurizing the edge of the burner mat.

Preferably, the pressure sensor is provided in the air supplying tube that connects the burner body with the air supplying fan.

Preferably, the control part controls the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor.

In another aspect, a method for controlling a gas burner includes a first step of measuring data for controlling RPM of an air supplying fan, which supplies air to the gas burner, using at least one of a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor provided at one side of the gas burner, a second step of comparing the data measured in the first step with data previously set in the gas burner, and a third step of controlling the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the result of the second step.

Preferably, the third step includes increasing the RPM of the air supplying fan if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the previously set data.

Preferably, the third step includes maintaining the RPM of the air supplying fan as it is if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the previously set data.

Preferably, the third step includes decreasing the RPM of the air supplying fan if the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is higher than the previously set data.

Preferably, the third step includes increasing the RPM of the air supplying fan if the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is lower than the previously set data.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a related art gas burner;

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a temperature of a glass depending on operational time of a related art gas burner.

FIG. 3 is a plane view illustrating a gas burner according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a gas burner according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for controlling the gas burner of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a gas burner according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method for controlling the gas burner of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A gas burner according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

The gas burner according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a burner body 100 burning a mixture gas of gas fuel and air, a temperature sensor 210 measuring a temperature of a glass 70 provided on the burner body 100, and a control part 300 controlling air flow supplied to the burner body 100 based on the measured value of the temperature sensor 210.

A mixing tube 40 is provided at one side of the burner body 100 and supplies the mixture gas to the burner body 100. The mixing tube 40 is connected with a gas supplying tube 50 and an air supplying tube 60. The gas supplying tube 50 supplies gas fuel and the air supplying tube 60 supplies air.

The gas supplying tube 50 and the air supplying tube 60 are respectively connected with a gas supplying valve 20 and an air supplying fan 30.

The burner body 100 includes a burner chamber 110 in which the mixture gas supplied through the mixing tube 40 is burned, a burner mat 130 provided on the burner chamber 110 and heated by burning the mixture gas, and a burner housing 150 fixed to the burner chamber 110 while pressurizing the edge of the burner mat 130.

A burner mat setting part 120 is provided on the burner chamber to set the burner mat 130 thereon. A gasket 140 is provided on the burner mat 130 to control a surface area of the burner mat 130.

The burner housing 150 is provided on the gasket 140 and has a circular opening 151 that passes radiant energy emitted from the burner mat 130.

Meanwhile, a temperature sensor 210 is provided at the bottom of the glass 70 provided on the burner housing, and senses the temperature of the glass. The temperature sensor 210 is connected with the control part 300 provided at one side of the gas burner.

The control part 300 controls RPM of the air supplying fan 30 depending on the temperature of the glass 70 sensed by the temperature sensor 210.

That is, the control part 300 controls RPM of the air supplying fan 30 based on the temperature of the glass 70 periodically measured by the temperature sensor 210 to control an air-fuel ratio of the gas burner, thereby decreasing the temperature of the glass 70.

The operation of the aforementioned gas burner will be described as follows.

If an object to be heated is laid on the glass 70 and the gas burner is operated, the air supplying fan 30 is rotated at RPM set in response to the set air-fuel ratio. At the same time, the gas supplying valve 20 is opened in response to the set air-fuel ratio.

Then, the air is supplied to the mixing tube 40 through the air supplying tube 60, and the gas fuel is supplied to the mixing tube 40 through the gas supplying tube 50. The air and the gas fuel supplied to the mixing tube 40 are mixed to each other in the mixing tube 40 and then supplied to the burner chamber 110.

The mixture gas supplied to the burner chamber 110 jets toward the burner mat 130 and at the same time is ignited by an igniter (not shown). The burner mat 130 is heated by burning the mixture gas and at the same time radiant energy is emitted to the glass.

Afterwards, the radiant energy emitted from the burner mat 130 heats the glass 70, and the object laid on the glass is heated at a predetermined temperature. The exhaust gas generated after burning the mixture gas is exhausted through an exhaust port F formed between the glass 70 and the burner housing 150.

A method for controlling the gas burner of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

The method for controlling the gas burner includes a first step (S3) of measuring data for controlling RPM of the air supplying fan using the temperature sensor provided at one side of the gas burner, a second step (S5) of comparing the data measured in the first step with data previously set in the gas burner, and a third step (S7) of controlling the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the result of the second step.

If the air supplying fan 30 and the gas supplying valve 20 are operated in response to a set air-fuel ratio, the air and the gas fuel are mixed in the mixing tube 40 and burned in the burner body 100 to heat the object laid on the glass 70 (S1).

Then, the temperature sensor 210 in the first step periodically measures the temperature of the glass and transmits the measured value to the control part 300 (S3). The control part 300 in the second step compares the value measured by the temperature sensor 210 with a temperature previously set in the control part 300 (S5).

If the measured temperature of the glass 70 is higher than the set temperature as a result of comparing the measured temperature of the glass with the set temperature, the control part 300 in the third step increases the RPM of the air supplying fan 30 to increase air flow, thereby increasing the air-fuel ratio (S7).

By contrast, if the measured temperature of the glass 70 is lower than the set temperature, the RPM of the air supplying fan 30 is maintained as it is so as not increase the air-fuel ratio. If the measured temperature of the glass is higher than the set temperature, the gas fuel is maintained as it is and the air flow increases to increase the air-fuel ratio of the gas burner. As a result, the gas fuel per unit volume is relatively decreased and the burning temperature of the mixture gas is relatively decreased, thereby decreasing the temperature of the glass.

Meanwhile, although not shown, the gas burner can be controlled in coincident with a user's desired temperature of the glass by allowing the user to set the temperature of the glass before or during the operation of the gas burner.

A method for controlling a gas burner according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

In the second embodiment unlike the first embodiment, a pressure sensor 220 is provided to measure inner pressure of the gas burner. In more detail, the pressure sensor 220 is provided inside the air supplying tube 60 and is connected with the control part 300 provided at one side of the gas burner.

The control part 300 controls the RPM of the air supplying fan 30 based on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor to control the air flow.

The position of the pressure sensor may be selected optionally inside the gas burner. The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned first embodiment. Both the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor may be provided. A sensor that measures a separate characteristic value may be provided. Examples of the characteristic value include speed of exhaust gas, quantity of exhaust gas, speed of the air supplied to the burner body and the like. The characteristic value may be used as data for controlling the air supplying fan.

Since the operation of the gas burner of the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the first embodiment, its description will be omitted.

The method for controlling the gas burner according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a first step (S30) of measuring data for controlling RPM of the air supplying fan using the pressure sensor provided at one side of the gas burner, a second step (S50) of comparing the data measured in the first step with data previously set in the gas burner, and a third step (S71 and S73) of controlling the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the result of the second step.

First, if the air supplying fan 30 and the gas supplying valve 20 are operated in response to a set air-fuel ratio, the air and the gas fuel are mixed in the mixing tube 40 and burned in the burner body 100 to heat the object laid on the glass 70 (S10).

Then, the pressure sensor 220 in the first step periodically measures the inner pressure of the air supplying tube 60 and transmits the measured value to the control part 300 (S30). The control part 300 in the second step compares the value measured by the pressure sensor 220 with pressure previously set in the control part 300 (S50).

Meanwhile, if the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is higher than the pressure set in the control part, the control part 300 in the third step decreases the RPM of the air supplying fan 30 to decrease air flow supplied to the mixing tube 40 (S71).

By contrast, if the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is lower than the set pressure, the control part 300 increases the RPM of the air supplying fan 30 to increase the air flow supplied to the mixing tube 40 (S73). If the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is equal to the set pressure, the RPM of the air supplying fan 30 is maintained as it is.

Afterwards, the control part 300 determines whether the heating step of the gas burner has been finished (S90). If the heating step has been finished, the gas supplying valve 20 is blocked and the operation of the air supplying fan 30 is stopped. On the other hand, if the heating step has not been finished, the first step, the second step and the third step are repeated sequentially.

The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned second embodiment. Both the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor may be provided in the present invention. In this case, the RPM of the air supplying fan provided in the gas burner is controlled considering the temperature and the pressure measured by the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor.

The gas burner and the method for controlling the same have the following advantages.

First, since the RPM of the air supplying fan is controlled to prevent the glass from being overheated, the gas burner can stably be used and its life span can be increased.

Second, since the glass provided in the gas burner is prevented from being overheated, it is possible to remarkably decrease a room temperature. In addition, burst of the gas burner due to overheat of the glass can be avoided in advance.

Finally, since the optimal air-fuel ratio can be maintained by controlling the RPM of the air supplying fan, the mixture gas can perfectly be burned and the concentration of CO contained in the exhaust gas can be reduced, thereby improving combustion efficiency.

The forgoing embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

1. A gas burner comprising: a burner body burning a mixture gas of gas fuel and air; a gas supplying valve supplying the gas fuel to the burner body through a gas supplying tube connected with the burner body; an air supplying fan supplying the air to the burner body through an air supplying tube connected with the burner body; and a control part controlling air flow supplied to the burner body by controlling revolution per minute (RPM) of the air supplying fan.
 2. The gas burner according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of a glass provided on the burner body and a pressure sensor measuring inner pressure of the gas burner.
 3. The gas burner according to claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor is provided at the bottom of the glass.
 4. The gas burner according to claim 3, wherein the control part controls the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the temperature of the glass measured by the temperature sensor.
 5. The gas burner according to claim 1, wherein the burner body includes a burner chamber in which the mixture gas is burned, a burner mat heated by burning the mixture gas, and a burner housing fixed to the burner chamber while pressurizing the edge of the burner mat.
 6. The gas burner according to claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor is provided in the air supplying tube that connects the burner body with the air supplying fan.
 7. The gas burner according to claim 6, wherein the control part controls the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor.
 8. A method for controlling a gas burner comprising: a first step of measuring data for controlling RPM of an air supplying fan, which supplies air to the gas burner, using at least one of a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor provided at one side of the gas burner; a second step of comparing the data measured in the first step with data previously set in the gas burner; and a third step of controlling the RPM of the air supplying fan depending on the result of the second step.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the third step includes increasing the RPM of the air supplying fan if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the previously set data.
 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the third step includes maintaining the RPM of the air supplying fan as it is if the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the previously set data.
 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the third step includes decreasing the RPM of the air supplying fan if the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is higher than the previously set data.
 12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the third step includes increasing the RPM of the air supplying fan if the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is lower than the previously set data. 